Washing machine



Dec. 11, 1928. 1,694,606

F. B. SCHUYLER WASHING MACHINE Filed Nov.1, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR. ,J

ATTORNEYS.

Dec. 11, 1928. 1,694,606

F. B. SCHUYLER WASHING MACHINE Filed Nov. 1, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2ATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 11, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..-

FBANK B. SCHUYLEB, OF BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA; ELLA S. SG HUYLER EXECUTBIXOF,SAID FRANK B. SCHUYLER, DECEASED.

WASHING MACHINE.

Application filed November 1, 1926. Serial No. 145,536.

This invention relates to clothes washing machines and particularly toaportable type which is adapted to be attached to an ordinary wash tray.

The object of the present invention 1s to generally improve and simplifythe construction and operation of washing machines of the characterdescribed; to provide a portable type of power-driven washing machinewhich may be quickly and readily applied or removed with relation to anordinary wash tray to provide a washing machine which is adjustable andreversible to permit ad ustment to trays of varying sizes and also rlghtor left hand trays; to provide a. washing machine in which the driveshaft is extended the entire length of the trays and serves as a supportand a drive both for a washlng machine and a wringer and furthermore,permits longitudinal movement of the wringer from one tray to anotherwhere two or more trays are placed or formed side by side; to provide awashing machine embodying an impeller and a driving mechanism thereforand independent supports for each whereby the impeller may be removedfrom the tray and the driving mechanism swung clear of the tray.

One form which the invention may assume is shown by way of illustrationin the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan View of a standard form of two compartment wash trayshowing the washing machine, the wringer and the driving mechanism inposition thereon, said view also showing the drive mechanism of thewashing machine proper partially in section,

Figure 2 is a cross section on the line 11-11 of Figure 1, showing oneof the drive shaft bearings and the cover therefor,

Figure 3 is a cross section taken on the line III-III of Figure 1,showing one of the securing brackets,

Figure 4 is a cross section on the line IV IV of Figure 1, showinganother of the securing brackets and the adjustable base extension,

Figure 5 is a cross section taken on the line VV. of Figure 1, showingthe driving mechanism in horizontal position and connected with theimpeller,

Figure 6 is a similar section showing the arm and driving mechanism invertical position.

Referring to the drawings in detail and particularly to Figures 1, 5 and6, A indicates a standard form of wash tray which, in this instance, isdivided into two compartments B and C, by means of a central partitionD. Extending longitudinally on the wash trays is a base member E andextending at right angles thereto is a base member F. The base members Eand F are disposed at right angles with relation to each other and aresecured together by means of screws 2 or the like so that the basesection F may be removed and reversed as will hereinafter be described.

The base section E is provided with a series of interspaced channelmembers 3, at and 5 which support and carry a drive shaft 6. This shaftforms a support for an arm 7 which carries a driving mechanism wherebyan impeller 8 is actuated and the shaft also forms a drive and supportfor a standard form of wringer generally indicated at 9. The baseextension F supports an electric driving motor 10 and a reduction gearhousing 11 and a coupling 12 is formed between the reduction gearing andthe shaft 6 to transmit power thereto.

The bearing member 3 carries a latch pin 13. This pin is spring actuatedand its inner end normally enters a perforation in the inner arm 7 andthereby locks the same when it assumes a vertical position, asillustrated in Figure 6, or in a horizontal position as shown in Figure5. This mechanism, together with the driving mechanism carried therebyis adapted to swing about the shaft 6 and is swung to a verticalposition when it is desired to clear the tub or wash tray and to ahorizontal position when it is desired to drive or operate the impeller8. All this will, hereinafter, be described.

The perforations in the side wall of the arm 7 are indicated at 14 and15. The driving mechanism supported by the arm 7 consists of a rack bar16 on the upper end of which is formed a journal member 17. The shaft 6is provided with a crank as indicated at 18 and a connecting rod 19forms a connection between the bearing member 17 and the crank 18thereby imparting a reciprocal movement to the rack bar 16, when theshaft 6 is rotating.

Formed on the underside of the arm 7 is a bearing member 19 andjournaled therein is a shaft 20. On the upper end of the shaft issecured a gear 21. This gear meshes with a rack bar 16 and anoscillating movement is, accordingly, transmitted to the shaft 20. Thelower end of the shaft has a coupling member 22 and this coupling memberis adapted to connect with a vertical shaft 23 which is secured to theimpeller 8. The cou- .pling member 22 is provided with a square shapedrecess or socket and the upper end of the shaft 23 is similarly shaped.It is, accordingly, only necessary to drop the coupling 22 over theupper end of the shaft 23 when it is desired to drive or oscillate theimpeller.

The impeller proper, indicated at 8, may be of any suitableconstruction. In this instance, a disc-shaped impeller is shown, whichis provided with blades or wings 24 and 25 on its upper and lowersurfaces. These blades serve the usual function of agitating the waterand clothing within the tray or tub when the machine is in operation.One of the features of the present invention is to clear tubs entirelyof the washing mechanism, for instance, during the wringing operation orotherwise.

Such clearing of the tubs is quickly accomplished in the presentinstance, as it is only necessary to grasp the arm 7 and swing it to avertical or full line position shown in Figure 6 and then to remove theimpeller and shaft 23 by merely lifting it vertically out of the tub.This leaves the tubs completely free and clear and they can thus bereadily cleaned or dried out or clothing may be readily re moved whenwringing or transferred from one compartment to another. The impellerproper must be supported when in the tub and the bearing member has,accordingly, been provided.

The bearing is nothing more or less than a rounded ball supported by oneor more arms 31 secured to the lower side of the base member E andextending downwardly into the tub. These arms lie flush with thevertical rear side of the tub and are bent at the point 32 to extendalong the bottom of the tub. The lower end of the impeller is providedwith a socket which may be placed directly over the ball bearing 30 andan ample bearing and guide is thus-formed for the impeller from which itmay also be readily removed, as previously described by merely liftingit in a vertical direction. The arms 31 consume so little space thattheir removal is hardly necessary.

The driving shaft 6 is square in cross section between the bearings 4and 5 and it thus forms a support and a drive for the wringer generallyindicated at 9, that is the wringer.

may be supported on one end by the shaft and at the opposite end by theedge 33 of the tub. The wringer may thus be moved from one compartmentto the other and the clothing can be wrung and transferred from onecompartment to the other or from the innermost tub to a basket or otherreceptacle, as desired.

The bearing members 4 and 5 supportingthe squared portion of the driveshaft is best illustrated in Figure 2. The upper part of the bearing isprovided with an extension 34: which forms a support for a cover member35. This cover member is provided for the purpose of covering the driveshaft 6 and the driving end of the wringer 9, thus preventing clothingor the like from becoming arranged about the shaft. The cover 35 isdisposed at a suflicient elevation above the shaft 6 to permit freemovement of the wringer from oneend of the shaft to the other.

It has already been stated that the base section E and F are securedwith relation to each other by means of the screws 2, so as to transmitreversal of the position of the base member F. It should also be notedthat the opposite end of the base member F is provided with a slidableextending arm 37 which is best illustrated in Figures 1 and 4; The lowerside of the arm 37 is provided with gripping jaws 38 and the boltpassing therethrough permit-s the jaws to securely clamp the upper endof the tub. This secures the base sections E and insures againstmovement in one direction with relation to the tub and a similar clampsuch as shown in Figure 3 secures the base members against movement inthe opposite direction. In other words, two clamps have proven more thansuflicient to secure the base sections rigidly in position on the tubswhen applied.

The arm 37 is adjustable longitudinally of the base member F and whenadjusted is secured by a clamping screw 39. This is an advantage, as itpermits adjustment of the base section F to take care of tubs of varyingwidths.

In actual practice, with the mechanism as sembled and applied to a washtray as shown in Figure 1, it is only necessary to place the impeller inthe bottom of the tub and to swing the arm 7 downwardly into drivingengagement therewith and then to plug in the motor 10 with a source ofelectric current supply. With the motor in operation, power istransmitted from the motor shaft through the reduction gear 11 to theshaft 6. This operates the crank 18, the rack bar 16 and the gear 21 andas such transmits oscillating movement through the coupling 22 and shaft23 to the impeller 8.

A drive is, at the same time, transmitted to the wringer and this mayalso be operated, if desired, and its position may be changedlongitudinally by merely sliding it along the squared portion of theshaft. After the washing operation is completed, the current is switchedoff and the arm 7 raised to a vertical position, where it is secured bythe latch Ill Another important feature of the present invention is thereversibility of the entire mechanism. This will perhaps, be appreciatedwhen it is realized that most wash trays of the character here shown areplaced in a corner, that is abutting the end wall-and it is alwaysdesirable to place the. driving motor against the end wall so as toleave the opposite ends of the tubs free for rinsing and wringing of theclothes. It is obvious that reversal of the several parts of themechanism will be required to take care of right and left hand tubs.This is taken care of due to the detachable connection between the basesections E and F, that is the section F may assume a position on eitherside of the base member E.

The arm 7 with its driving mechanism may be reversed and as such may beswung to either sideof the base member E and by removing the cover 35,the wringer may be removed and reversed to extend from either side. Theentire mechanism is thus reversible to take care of any situation orposition and as such may be applied to tubs or wash trays regardless oftheir position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is 1 1. In a washing machine of the character described,abase member consisting of a lon-- gitudinally extending base section, asecond section extending at right angles thereto, said section beingdetachably secured to permit it to assume a right angle position ateither side of the first named base section, a drive shaft extendingfrom end to end of the first named section and j ournalled thereon, adriving motor carried by the second named section and adapted totransmit power tothe driving shaft, an arm journalled on the first namedsection at right angles thereto and adapted to be swung from a verticalto a horizontal position on either side of the first named section, ashaft journalled in the arm and assuming a vertical position when thearm assumes either of its horizontal positions, means whereby anoscillating movement is transmitted to said shaft from the drive shaftin either horizontal position of the arm and an impeller connected toand driven by said shaft.

2. A washing machine comprising a base member adapted to be secured to awash tray, a drive shaft journalled on the base, an arm pivoted on thebase and adapted to assume a horizontal or a vertical position withrelation to the base, a shaft journalled in the arm and disposed atright angles thereto so as to assume a vertical position when the arm isin its horizontal position, means whereby an oscillating movement istransmitted to t e shaft from the drive shaft, an auxiliary framesecured to the base and extending downwardly into the wash tray, abearmg member on said frame, an impeller journalled on said bearing, anda shaft on the im- Feller adapted to be connected with the oscilatingshaft on the arm. i

3. A washing machine comprising a base member adapted to be secured to awash tray, a drive shaft journalled on the base, an arm pivoted on thebase and ada ted to assume a horizontal or a vertical position withrelation to the base, a shaft journalled in the arm and disposed atright angles thereto so as to assume a vertical position when the arm isin its horizontal position, means whereby an oscillating movement istransmitted to the shaft from the drive shaft, an auxiliary framesecured to the base and extending downwardly into the wash tray, abearing member'on said frame, an impeller journalled on said bearing, ashaft on. the impeller, and means whereby a driving connection is formedbetween the impeller shaft and the oscillating shaft when the arm isswung to a horizontalv position.

4. A washing machine comprising a base member adapted to be secured to awash tray, a drive shaft journalled on the base, an arm pivoted on thebase and adapted to assume a horizontal or a vertical position withrelation to the base, a shaft journalled in the arm and disposed atright angles thereto so as to assume a vertical position when the arm isin its horizontal position, means whereby an oscillating movement is'transmitted to the shaft from the drive shaft, an auxiliary framesecured to the base and extending downwardly into the wash tray, abearing member on said frame, an impeller journalled on said bearing, ashaft on the impeller, said imlpeller and shaft being vertically removabe with relation to the bearing, and-a coupling member on the oscillatingshaft adapted to engage the upper end of the impeller shaft and form adriving connection therewith when the arm is swung to a horizontalposition.

5. In a washing machine of the character described, a base memberconsisting of a main section and a secondary section, an electricdriving motor, a reduction gear carried by the secondary base section,said secondary base section being secured to the main section so as toassume a right angular position with relation thereto and said securingmeans being detachable to permit the secondary base section to assume aposition at either side of the main base section, a drive shaftextending from end to end of the main base section and j ournalledthereon, said driving shaft adapted to be connected with the reductiongear and driven therehorizontal positions, means whereby an oscillatingmovement is transmitted to said shaft from the drive shaft in eitherhorizon- 10 tal positions of the arm, and an impeller co:- neeted to anddriven -by said s1 aft.

FRANK B. SCHUYLER.

